Until last Wednesday the only butterflies we'd seen here this year were Small Tortoiseshell, not even a Brimstone. So on Wednesday (27 March) it was a nice surprise to see a pristine Painted Lady just up the track from our place.
Up and outside very early this morning, rewarded with a Redwing calling overhead in the half-light. Possibly two more flew past distantly a few minutes later but I couldn't exclude Song Thrush. This is our first spring record here, in ten years at our old place I only ever saw one in spring, also end of March.
There was a Barn Swallow at the nearby farm on Thursday but it hasn't shown here yet, a March Swallow for the Garden List would be a first,
2nd April is the earliest I've managed in my 13 years garden listing here in the Alps.
55 Redwing